Rural parks and parks in panchayats and villages

Here are some key points about rural parks and parks in panchayats and villages:

• Rural parks refer to public parks created in rural areas and villages to provide recreational spaces to rural communities. They are important for health, wellbeing and bringing people together.
• Many gram panchayats are taking initiatives under schemes like MGNREGA to construct community parks in villages that lack public amenities. These act as rural parks for the area.
• Smart parks use technologies like solar energy, LED lighting, smart irrigation and integrate eco-friendly features. Some panchayats are developing smart parks.
• Rural parks developed by the panchayat can consist of walking trails, open air gyms, children’s play areas, botanical sections, amphitheaters for cultural programs, water features and clean toilets.
• Having a well-maintained village park provides a safe play area for children, space for all villagers to gather, organize events and contributes to the local economy.
• It is important that substantial land area is allotted for the village park, with facilities to meet requirements of all age groups and frequent maintenance for its upkeep.
• The panchayat must allocate sufficient funds for construction and management of the village park. Public participation in the form of shramdan and donations can also help.
• The park should be inclusive, accessible and maximize the use of open spaces in order to promote health and hygiene. Cleanliness, lighting, security and regular upgrades to equipment/facilities should be ensured.
• Overall, the panchayat has an important role in conceptualizing the right village park, constructing it with public participation and maintaining it through allocated resources.